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CLAIM OF THE IROQUOIS INDIANS 



REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER 



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REPORT 



OF THE 



C O M M T S S T C> IsT TC K 



APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOH. 



ON THE 



C^T^AIM 



OF/;i'/lE 



li;<>()iOTS INUIAN 



MADE TO THE LEGISLATURE, NOV. 3, 1855, 



MONTPELIER 



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1855. 



REPORT 



OF THE 



C O M ]VE I S S I O I^T E R 



APPOINTED BY THE fiOVERNOR, 



ON THE 



CL^iJSd: 



OF THE 



IROQUOIS INDIANS. 



MADE TO THE LEGISLATURE, NOV. 3, 1855. 



MONTPELIER : 
1855. 



.XvV 



J. STsr 



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REPORT. 



To the General Assembly of the State of Vermont, noio 

171 sessiofi : 

On the 22d day of January last, I was appointed 
by his Excellency, Governor Royce, a Commissioner, to 
discharge the duties indicated by a resolution adopted 
at the last Legislature of Vermont : That the Gover- 
nor be directed to appoint a Commissioner to ascertain 
the amount and extent of the claim of the Iroquois In- 
dians upon this State for compensation for land for- 
merly owned by them in this State, and that said Com- 
missioner be fully empowered to negotiate said claim, 
and ascertain what sum, to be paid by this State, will 
satisfy the same, and report the result of their inves- 
tigations and negotiations to the next General Assem- 
bly of this State. And I now submit to the Legislature 
the result of my investigations and negotiations, with 
said Iroquois Indians, together with such facts as I 
have been able to gather, from the early history of this 
people. 

In the year 1609, a Frenchman by the name of 
Champlain, in company with several other Irenchmen, 
and about one hundred of the Canadian Indians, started 
from Quebec, upon an expedition against their enemies, 
the Iroquois Indians. 



Champlain's object was to explore the country, and 
to assist the Canada Indians in their wars against the 
Iroquois Indians. 

After leaving the River St. Lawrence they struck 
another river, which the Indians called Iroquois, and 
soon reached a lake by the same name, to which Cham- 
plain gave his own name. As they proceeded up the 
lake, they soon came in sight of the Green Mountains, 
upon the East side of the lake, and upon inquiry of the 
Indians, Champlain was told that this was the country 
of the Iroquois, but that their enemies lived still farther 
to the south, upon the west side of the Lake, where the 
country was thickly settled with the Iroquois. 

It was subsequently ascertained that the Iroquois 
were a very powerful confederacy, consisting of the Mo- 
hawks, Onondagas, Oniedas, Cayugas, and Senecas ; each 
having their own territory, but had united together for 
the common defense of their own country, and also for 
prosecuting theii wars against their enemies, and ex- 
tending their own dominions. The Mohawks resided in 
the Valley of the Mohawk River, and it was subse- 
quently admitted by the people of New York, and by 
historians, that their territory did extend into the pres- 
ent limits of Vermont, and that they had some few set- 
tlements in the Valleys of Vermont, at a very early 
day. 

Immediately after the settlement of the Province of 
Lower Canada was commenced by the French, their Jes- 
uit Missionaries went in every direction, among the na- 
tives of the forest, with a two-fold purpose. One was 



to bring them over to the interests of the French, and 
the other to induce them to embrace the Roman Cath- 
olic faith. 

In this project they were very successful, ard as ear- 
ly as 1670 to 1676, they induced a large portion of 
the Mohawk nation or tribe, to emigrate to the prov- 
ince of Lower Canada near Montreal, where they built 
a church, and soon after swore allegiance to the French 
Government. 

The other portion of the Mohawks remained upon 
their own territory, and were the firm friends of the 
English during the French and English war, and so 
continued until the Revolution, when they still adhered 
to the interests of the English, and emigrated to the 
Province of Upper Canada, under the influence of the 
Johnson family. 

From a subsequent negotiation and settlement of 
their respective claims by the State of New York, it is 
evident that those who emigrated to the province of 
Lower Canada, commonly known as the Caughnaugas, 
are the rightful claimants upon Vermont for compensa- 
tion for their lands. 

From the Caughnaugas, there was an emigration in 
the year 1759, to a place called St. Regis, and in 
1780, another portion emigrated to a place called the 
liake of Two Mountains, both of which tribes I have 
allowed to participate in common with the Caughnau- 
gas, in the investigation of this claim. 

In relation to the Iroquois having parted with the 
title to their lands in Vermont, there seems to be but 
very little evidence upon the subject. 



It was claimed by the people of New York, at a very 
early day, that the Dutch had purchased this territory, 
extending to the Connecticut river, of the Indians, and 
that New York had taken it, by conquest, from the 
Dutch ; and New York, then a British Colony, claimed 
the territory under a grant of Charles Second to the 
Duke of York. 

The British government also claim that large grants 
of land were made on both sides of the Lake, at an 
early day, by the consent of, and agreement with, the Iro- 
quois Indians. 

But I find no written documents to substantiate these 
claims. Still, it may be some evidence of these claims 
of New York, that the Iroquois, who claim this territory, 
left it at so early a period, and set up no claim for 
about a century and a quarter, to their lands, or for 
compensation. 

Since the Iroquois emigrated to the Province of Low- 
er Canada, there seems to be no evidence that they have 
occupied this territory, more than other tribes of In- 
dians, but upon this point there is but very little his- 
tory. 

The habits and customs of the Indian tribes of the 
country, at an early day, were such, that the occupation 
of any territory for the purposes of hunting and fish- 
ing, rendered the possession of that territory as really 
theirs, as though they had cultivated fields, built liou- 
ses, &.C. 

Hence, when we look at their former mode and hab- 
it of living, their ability to understand legal questions. 



as practiced by enlightened nations, and the legal bear- 
ing of their own actions, they are ill to be construed 
in their favor. 

If they have parted with the title to their lands, it 
has usually been for a mere pittance, or at best, for 
a very small compensation. 

I therefore recommend the claim of this unfortunate 
people, to the favorable consideration of the Legisla- 
ture. 

By a previous arrangement, I met the agents and 
deputies of the several Tribes interested in this claim, 
at the United States Hotel, in the Town of Massena, 
N. Y., on the 14th day of last June, and the follow- 
ing is the result of our investigations and negotiations. 

All of which is very respectfully submitted. 

JAMES M. HOTCHKISS. 



Massena, State of Nf.w York, June 14, 1855. 

Present, J. M. Hotchkiss, Commissioner on the part of Ver- 
mont, and Joseph Kanataklah and Francis Athorishon, from 
Caughnauga, Rev. Eleazar Williams, St. Regis. 

Gentlemen of the Iroquois : 

The General Assembly of the State of Vermont, on the 14th 
day of November, 1854, adopted the following resolution : 

Resolved, That the Governor be directed to appoint a Com- 
missioner to ascertain the amount and extent of the claim of 
the Iroquois Indians upon this State for compensation for land 
formerly owned by them in this State, and that said Commis- 
sioner be fully empowered to negotiate said claim, and ascer- 
tain what sum, to be paid by this State, will satisfy the same, 
and report the result of his investigations and negotiations to 
the next General Assembly of this Stale. 

On the 22d day of January, 1855, I received from his Ex- 
cellency, Stephen Royce, the appointment of Commissioner to 
discharge the duties indicated by said Resolution. 

Having caused the parties interested in this claim to be duly 
notified of the time and place of holding this meeting, I am 
now ready to proceed with the investigation. 

Before proceeding with the investigation, allow me to in- 
quire if the Iroquois Indians, designated by the foregoing Res- 
olution, are all represented at this meetin'j. 

Answer by Rev. Eleazar Williams. — There is a branch of 
the Iroquois at the Lake of Two Mountains, numbering about 
258 souls which are not represented at this meeting. The no- 
tice of this meeting failed to reach them in season tor them to 
attend. The American branch at St. Regis are not represented 
here, but have received due notice of this meeting. 



The Commissioner considering it of the utmost importance 
that all the tribes interested in the claim against the State of 
Vermont, should be notified of this meeting, here suspended 
the investigation and adjourned to Wednesday the 20th inst., 
and caused a dispatch to be sent to the Chiefs of the Lake of 
the Mountains, notifying them to attend this meeting, if they 
have any claim to prefer against the State of Vermont. 



Massena., June 20, 1855. 
Present, James M. Hotchkiss, Commissioner on the part of 
Vermont, and Francis Athorishan and Joseph Kanataktah, 
who presented to the Commissioner the following instrument . 

Caughnawaga, June 12, 1855. 
This is to certify, that, this day, we the undersigned, Grand 
Chiefs, appoint and authorize as our Agents and Representa- 
tives, in all matters concerning the claims of the Iroquois Tribe 
of Caughnawaga, which lieth in the State of Vermont. What- 
ever shall be done by these two persons whom we duly author- 
ize are to know and acknowledge as such, we shall bind, as 
though we were together. The two appointed are Francis 
Athorishan and Joseph Kanataktah. We name also the Inter- 
preter, who has been since the year 1852, seventh of November, 
who has interpreted upon the communications of the claim, is 
Rev. Eleazer Williams our Interpreter. 

[Signed,] 

Grand Chiefs : 

JOSEPH KENTORONTIE, 

LOUIS TIORAKARON, 

JOSEPH TAIORONIOTE, 

THOMAS ASENNASE, 

MARTIN SHAKORAIATAKWIIA, 

LOUIS SHATEKAIENTON. 



10 



Present on the part of the Iroquois at St. Regis, representing 
the British party, Rev. Eleazer WiUiams, who presented to the 
Commissioner «he following Instrument : 

Know all men by these presents, that we, Swasen Teiosharak- 
wenle, Tier Kanewatron, Rawi Tarakonnente, Rawi Atawenta, 
Thomas Tahate, Chiefs and principal men of the St. Regis 
Indians, do hereby irrevocably make, constitute and appoint 
Eleazer Williams of Hogansburgh, of the State of New York, 
our true and lawful attorney, with power of substitution, for us 
and in our names, places and stead, to contract, treat, negociate 
and bind said Tribe of Indians, and to release all debts, claims 
and dues of said Tribe, and to transact all business of all kinds, 
pertaining to their interest, and he is fully authorized to receive 
from the State of Vermont any pay or compensations for lands 
within the limits of said State, and to discharge all liabilities, 
claims or dues for such lands, from the State of Vermoni, and 
in all things fully release all such claims and forever bind the 
St. Regis Indians and several members of said tribes respect- 
ively. And we do hereby and herewith empower our said at- 
torney in our names, to give receipts and other sufficient dis- 
charges for such moneys due or claimed to be due as aforesaid, 
or snm as the State of Vermont may grant, hereby latifying 
and confirming whatever our said attorney shall do in and about 
the premises by virtue hereof. In testimony whereof, we have 
hereunto set our hands and seals in the name and behalf of the 
St. Regis Indians, this third day of February, Anno Domini, 
1855. 

Signed and Sealed in presence of A. Fulton. 

SWASEN TEISHORAKWENTE, LS. 

TIER X KANEWATERON, LS. 

KAWI M TARAKONNENTE, LS. 

RAWI X ATAWENTA, LS. 

THOMAS TAHATE, LS. 



11 



State of New York. ) On the third day of February, in the 
Franklin County, ss. (year 1855, personally appeared before 
me the individuals described in, and who executed the above 
power of attorney, and severally acknowledged that they exe- 
cuted the same for the purposes therein mentioned. 

ALFRED FULTON, 

Justice of the Peace, 

Present on the part of the Iroquois at Lake of the Mountains, 
Joseph Ononkwatkona and Francois Sasametest, Chiefs of said 
Tribe. 

Present, on the part of the American party at St. Regis, Lou- 
is Taioroniote, Michel Gavanety, Peter Skatekaienton, denom- 
inating themselves trustees of said Tribe. 

Gentlemen of the Iroqiiis : 

The meeting for investigating and negotiating your claim 
against the Stale of Vermont is now open. 

By the resolution which I have read in your hearing, adopt- 
ed at the last General Assembly of the State of Vermont, the 
Legislature virtually admit that there may be some ground for 
the claim of the Iroquois Indians against the State. It be- 
came the duty of the Commissioner, to ascertain who the Iro- 
quois Indians, designated in the resolution, were : and after a 
thorough investigation of the subject, the Commissioner came 
to the conclusion that the tribes at Caughnawaga, the tribes 
at St. Regis and the tribe of Iroquois at the Lake of Two 
Mountains, are the proper and only tribes for the Commission- 
er to meet and negotiate wiih. We are now prepared to pro- 
ceed with the investigation. As the representative of the peo- 
ple of the State of Vermont, I sliall endeavor to conduct the 
negotiations in behalf of the State, in a fair and honorable 
manlier. 



12 



You will observe by the resolution under which we are now 
acting, that a report of the investigations or negotiations of this 
meeting, or any subsequent meeting, is to be submitted to the 
next General Assembly of the State of Vermont, for their ap- 
proval or disapproval, as they in their judgment, shall think 
just and right. 

Objection was made by the agents from Caughnawaga 
against admitting the agents from the Lake of Two Mountains 
to participate in this claim, upon the ground that they are not 
descendants of the Caughnawaga, they say that they have no 
record of their separation. 

The Chiefs from the Lake of Tv/o Mountains replied, that 
they separated from the Caughnawagas about- the year 1789, 
and soon after emigrated to the Lake of Two Mountains ; they 
have always claimed, and still claim, to belong to the Iroquois 
and relatives of the Caughnawagas and St Regis tribes. The 
St. Regis admit that they are of the Jroquois nation and enti- 
tled to participate in the claim against Vermont. 

The Commissioner overruled the objection of the Caughna- 
wagas, and the Chiefs from the Lake of Two Mountains were 
allowed to participate in the investigations, in common with 
the other agents. 



13 



Interrogatory by the Commissioner. 

Gentlemen : 

What is the amount and extent of your claim upon Vermont 
for compensation for the lands you originally claimed in said 
State? . 



Brother : 

We, the agents and deputies on the part of the Grand Chiefs 
of the Iroquois Indians at Caughnawaga, St. Regis and Lake 
of Two Mountains, are very happy in meeting you as Com- 
missioner on the part of our brethren of Vermont. It is a long 
time since our fathers presented to the Grand Council of Ver- 
mont, their claim to their ancient hunting ground in said State. 
In behalf of said Iroquois Indians we return you many thanks 
for the several sums of money paid to our said agents from 
time to time, for which we most willingly acknowledge. 

You now desire to be intormed as to the amount and extent 
of our claim upon the State of Vermont for compensation for 
the land originally claimed by us in said State. 

In answer, we refer you to the report of Mr. Redfield, as 
well as to our frequent memorials to the General Assembly of 
Vermont, beginning A. I). 1798. We now ask for pay for 
all lands lying northerly of a strait line from Ticonderoga to 
the great falls of Otter Creek, (called Sutherland's Falls,) from 
thence to be continued to the lop of the Green Mountains, 
thence along said mountains which divide the water that runs 
into Connecticut river and the water that flows into Lake Cham- 
plain and Mississquoi river, to the latitude of 45 = . 

We are of the opinion that there is east of the New York 
line, within this tract or territory, much more than two 



14 



millions of acres of land, exclusive of the waters of Lake Cham- 
plain, and including the islands not ceded to the State of New 
York by the Treaty of A. D. 1796. As relates to the value of 
this, our hunting ground, We, on behalf of the Iroquois Indi- 
ans of Caughnawaga, St. Regis and Lake of Two Mountains, 
Indians, propose to you, Mr. Commissioner, to relinquish to the 
State of Vermont our claims to said territory upon the follow- 
ing condition, viz : We propose to tike into consideration 
at least twenty of the most favorable treaties made between 
the United States and different tribes or nations of Indians 
within the past thirty years, wherein lands by said Indians had 
been ceded to the United States. As you have so long occupi- 
ed our ancient hunting ground, and thereby deprived us in a 
great measure of the means of maintaining our numerous fami- 
lies, you in honest justice ought to pay to us an average price 
equal to the average price per acre of said twenty treaties by us 
selected, whatever shall prove to be the average sum per acre, 
by the United States, for cessions of lands embraced in said 
twenty treaties, shall be the sum to be paid to us by the State 
of Vermont, for our hunting ground. 

Brother : in your report to our Father Governor Royce, you 
will request him to consider well this our first proposition for 
settlement, and that he will present it to the members of your 
Grand Council when assembled at your Wigwam in October 
next. We say to you. Brother, that we will be present, ready 
to hold a further conference with you, in hopes that we shall 
make a final settlement and to our mutual satisfaction. 

The foregoing is respectfully submitted to the consideration 
of the Commissioner by his friends and brothers, the deputies. 



15 

Massena, June 21, 1855. 
Brothers : 

I have listened attentively to your speech of yesterday, and 
considered it well. In your speech you propose to relinquish 
to the State of Vermont all claim to territory you have describ- 
ed, as your ancient hunting ground, provided the State of Ver- 
mont will tal.e into consideration twenty of the most favorable 
treaties made between the United States and differem tribes of 
Indians within the last thirty years, wherein lands by said In- 
dians have been ceded to the United States. And further, you 
ask that the average price of the land per acre, ceded in those 
treaties, shall be considered the price per acre of your ancient 
hunting ground in Vermont. Said treaties to be selected by 
you. 

Brothers: This appears to me to be a very indefinite way 
of arriving at any proper conclusion. If your proposition was 
to be accepted, it might be exceedingly difficult, and be attend- 
ed with great expense, to ascertain what the price per acre of 
the lands ceded to the United States would be, as most of the 
treaties are for the extinguishment of the Indian claims, and 
no number of acres defined. But your proposition appears to 
be wholly inadmissible. 

Ill the first place, you will observe, that many of the Indian 
tribes were living upon their lands at the time the treaties were 
made with them, and had valuable improvements, and their 
titles to their lands undisputed, and their lands at so late a pe- 
riod had become very valuable. Your title to lands in Ver- 
mont is not only doubtful, but it is utterly denied, and it has 
never been admitted that you have any legal claim ; and you 
only ask for compensation for the lands your ancestors once 
occupied as their hunting ground. You say in honest justice 
that the people of Vermont ought to pay you, as specified above, 
from the fact that they have so long lived upon your ancient 



16 



hunting ground, and thereby deprived you in a great measure 
of the means of supporting your numerous families. 

You will please to observe, that your ancestors left their 
ancient hunting ground and emigrated to Canada about the 
year 1676, and placed themselves under the Crown of France, 
aud soon after swore allegiance to his Majesty's government, 
became the allies of the French and the enemies of the Eng. 
lish and American Colonies. Had your fathers chosen to have 
remained on your hunting grounds in Vermont (if they ever 
occupied them,) they might have done so until their title 
should have been extinguished by purchase in a fair and hon- 
orable manner; and that sense of justice, which has always 
been prominent with the people of Vermont, in all their trans- 
actions with their neighbors, warrants the belief that they 
would not have endeavored to obtain it in any other way. 
But the country was found to be vacant at an early day, and 
grants of lands were made to the people of Vermont, first by 
the Governor of New Hampshire ; then New York claimed 
the territory of Vermont upon the ground that it was a Dutch 
province, and that the Dutch had purchased it of the Indians, 
and New York, then a British province, had taken it by con- 
quest from the Dutch, and by a grant of Charles Second to the 
Duke of York in the years 1664 and 1674 of the disputed ter- 
ritory. Whether the lauds in Vermont were ceded to the Dutch 
in an early day, as claimed by New York, I have no further 
means of knowing ; but one thing is certain, that the king of 
Great Britain, when the territory was claimed by New York, 
made grants of land extending upon the territory which you 
claim in Vermont, without requiring a previous purchase from 
you, or any other nation, or tribe of Indians ; which is a very 
strong proof against the existence of any title, in you, to the 
lands your ancestors owned in Vermont. 

Many of the early settlers of Vermont, after purchasing their 



17 



lands from New Hampshire, repurchased them from New York, 
and after continuing the controversy^ith New Hampshire and 
New York for a quarter of a century or more, it was finally set- 
tled by the State of Vermont paying New York the sum of 
thirty thousand dollars to relinquish her claim to the territory 
of Vermont. 

So you see, Brothers, that the people of Vermont have al- 
ready paid very dear for their lands. 

It was not my intention to enter into any very lengthy argu- 
ment relative to the merits of your claim, only sufficient to 
show you that it is of a very doubtful character, and will prob- 
ably be so regarded by the Legislature of Vermont. The 
Commissioners on the part of New York with whom you treat- 
ed in 1796, so regarded it, and only settled and paid you some 
thing for the lands you claimed in the State of New York, 
that they might give contentment, and live in good neighbor- 
hood with you. So, I apprehend, it will be with the Legisla- 
ture of Vermont. If they are induced to give you any thing 
for the extinguishment of your claim, it will be upon the 
ground of giving mutual satisfaction ; and the amount they 
may be induced to give, will depend very much upon the mer- 
its of your claim. , 

Brothers, I now wait for you to give a definite answer to 
one part of my inquiry, viz : 

What is the amount of your claim against the State of Ver- 
mont for your ancient hunting grounds ? 

In fixing on a definite sum, you will allow me to suggest, 
that, the smaller the sum you claim, the greater will be the 
probability that the Legislature vvill allow it. 



18 



Brother : 

In answer to your two first questions given us in writing, 
Friday last, we had no idea of giving olTence. We claim the 
privilege of answering in our own way ; for want of better in- 
formation, possibly some portions of our answer may be consid- 
ered surplusage, or in other words, inadmissable. Brother, in 
answer to yours of this day, we observe that you are not well 
pleased with ours of yesterday, as regards the price of our 
hunting grounds in Vermont. As Indians, we did suppose that 
the people of Vermont would be willing to pay us poor Indians 
as much per acre as the United States Government pay other 
Tribes or Nations of Indians for their hunting grounds. — 
Brother, we have well considered your answer to us of yes- 
terday, and have concluded to make the people of Vermont, 
through you, a further offer, as we are very desirous of being 
considered just, honest, and generous. We now say further, 
the people of Vermont may have their choice, either to pay us 
four cents per acre for our hunting grounds lying easterly of 
the New York state line, after deducting that portion of the 
waters of Lake Champlain, or an average of the twenty treaties 
as communicated in our answer of yesterday ; or you may pay 
us |!S9,600, at such time as may hereafter be agreed upon. 
Brother, we say that we have in our possession volumes of 
treaties published by the general government, and other offi- 
cial documents, from which we learn the date of each treaty, 
with whom made, the amount ceded to the United States in 
acres, the sum paid in consideration of said cessions, from the 
origin of government to A. D. 1840, The same documents 
arc in your State Library. Therefore, Brother, it is a very 
easy matter for our Brothers of Vermont, to examine for them- 
selves ; we prefer the privilege of selecting the twenty treaties ; 
we most willingly give our Brethren their choice. 

Brother : as regards that portion of your answer to ours of 



19 



yesterday as relates to our equitable or legal claim to our hunt- 
ing grounds in Vermont, we have taken good counsels and say 
in brotherly love, that we consider our claim on our ancient 
hunting grounds in Vermont just in equity, and that we are 
legally entitled to a reasonable compensation. We are prepar- 
ed to make many quotations from the decisions and records of 
the white men, in our favor. We forbear at present from mak- 
ing but one extract. Brother, we refer you to the second page, 
second paragraph, of Mr, Red field's report : 

" There seems no reason to doubt that the Iroquois had 
possession of these lands and exercised dominion over the same, 
until dispossessed by the encroachments of civilization ; and 
had, what has been treated by the United States Government, 
in other cases, title to these lands ; and have never parted with 
that title by any treaty or compact, to which they, as a tribe 
or nation, have been a party." 

Brother, this extract, with others on page tenth and eleventli, 
from said report, justifies us in believing that our claim on 
Vermont is just and equitable. 

All the foregoing is respectfully submitted to the Commis- 
sioner, by the Deputies. 

The meeting was now adjourned, until the first Monday af- 
ter the second Thursday in October next, at Montpelier, Ver- 
mont. 



MoNTPELiER, October 15, 1855. 
The agents of the Iroquois met the Commissioner agreeably 
to adjournment, and again adjourned to October 17, 1S55. 



20 

MONTPELIER; Oct. 17, 1855. 

Gentlemen of the Iroquois. 

I have listened attentively to your second proposition, which 
IS to pay you four cents per acre, or the sum of eighty nine 
thousand six hundred Dollars, for your ancient hunting ground 
in Vermont. 

You seem to infer from my reply of the 21st June, that your 
language, or manner of speaking, in a previous proposition had 
given me offence. In this you are mistaken, your language 
and manner of expression arc very acceptable, your proposition 
was wholly inadmissible. 

In your last proposition, your refer to Mr. Redfield's report, 
to substantiate a legal claim to a reasonable compensation for 
your lands in Vermont. The })aragraph to which you refer, is 
as follows : 

"There seems no reason to doubt, that the Iroquois had posses- 
sion of these lands and exercised dominion over the same, until 
disposessed by the encroachments of civilization, and had what 
has been treated by the United States Government in other 
cases, title to these lands ; and have never parted with that 
title by any tieaty or compact, to which they, as a tribe or na- 
tion have been a party." 

I have already shown you in a previous reply, tliat you for- 
sook your country, as early as 1675 or 1676, and yourselves ad- 
mit that you left your country even earlier than this period, and 
emigrated to the province of Lower Canada, near where you now 
reside, which was then a French province ; you then swore al- 
legiance to the French Government, became their allies in War, 
and the inveterate enemies of the English colonies in America. 
At this early period there was not a white inhabitant residing 
within the present limits of Vermont, neither was there any 
settlements of white persons in Vermont, to any extent, for 
nearly half a century subsequent to that period. 

When you left your hunting grounds, and emigrated to Can- 



21 



ada, you left a wilderness and went into the midst of civiliza- 
tion ; Montreal and the adjacent country, was at tliat time, 
(|uite numerously settled by the French. 

fn relation to your having parted with your litle to your 
hunting grounds, there seems to be but very little evidence 
upon the subject. The fact that your ancesters abandoned their 
lands at so early a period, and no claim or ownership was set 
up for nearly a century and a quarter, seems pretty conclusive 
evidence that they had parted with their title in some manner, 
in a very early day. 

I find by examining the Documentary history of New York 
Vol 1, Page 582, that the board of trade at London declare, 
that by agreement with the Iroquois Indians, the land on both 
sides the Lake to a very great extent, was granted by the Gov- 
ernors of New York, to British Subjects, a long while previous 
to the year 173L There is other testimony which goes to 
prove the same facts. 

Your last proposition of f 89,600, is entirely out of the ques- 
tion, and unless you should think proper to make a very differ- 
ent proposition, I shall feel myself under the necessity of declin- 
ing your proposition altogether. In your treaty with New 
York, A. D. 1796, you accepted a sum equivalent to about 
twenty thousand Dollars, and extinguished your claim to a tract 
of country much larger (if I mistake not) than what you claim 
in Vermont. 

There are many reasons why your claim upon New York 
for compensation, was better than it is upon Vermont. The 
first, and perhaps most important is, that you were living upon 
your lands in New York, and ha d been for a great number of 
years, which is very good evidence that you had not parted 
with the title, nor did not intend to abandon them. If you 
have any further propositions to make, I am now ready to re- 
ceive them. 

JAMES M. IIOTCHKISS, Commissioner. 



22 



MoNTPELiER, October 18, 1855. 
Mr. Co'inniissioner on the part of the State of Vermont : 

In reply of our last meeting at the State House, we will say, 
in the very commencement of our Father's communications 
upon this State, was in the year 1798, for compensation for their 
luHiUng grounds within the State, for which they claim and 
ask compensation, and have visited the Honorable Assembly of 
the Legislature, up to A. D. 1820. Several appropriations were 
made for their expenses while attending upon the Legislature, 
as a gratuity, and token of friendship, and have always been 
rejected, not coming to a final settlement ; but have not ceded 
a dollar's worth of the lands which they claim in Vermont, to 
any Government whatever, upon said claim on Vermont. And 
our ideas in the year 1852, were the same as our forefathers', 
communications for compensation for land in this State, and 
did not in the least intend to make any price whatever, as we 
had full confidence in the generosity of the people of the State 
of Vermont ; and our communication did not have any effect 
at this Session. 

We again visited your respectable House, the preceding year 
in 1853 —the Legislature were at their session ; we were then 
listened at, and instructions were given us to have our commu- 
nication entered into the House of Representatives. Mr. Red- 
field was then appointed to make a Report at the next Session, 
in relation to our claim in Vermont. 

At the next Session of 1854, we again presented our claim 
at your council fire, at your wigwam in the city of Montpelier, 
and renewed our claim. We then waited to witness whether 
our communication should succeed or have it ended by the Le- 
gislature. Our brotherly thanks to those who pitied and re- 
spected us, so far as putting life to our communications, which 
was through the goodness and kindness and humanity, also 
from the good feelings of the people of Vermont ; it is true that 
joy went through our whole Iroquois Tribe, when the Report 



33 



was made by us of being in hopes of coming to a final settle- 
ment, for our compensation. 

As to the Iroquois ever abandoning their claim upon Ver- 
mont by leaving it as their hunting grounds, and have always 
hunted upon the same, since the time they emigrated to the 
river St. Lawrence, from the wilderness in which their support 
contained, in the year 1660, or thereabouts. There seems suf- 
ficient proof by the expedition of Champlain, in 1609, for the 
name Iroquois Country would be deemed sufficient proof that 
though this country was exercised as their hunting ground, but 
did not part with that title, although they emigrated into 
Canada, and did not cross the lines of their Territory, but still 
remained on the south side of the River St. Lawrence, and will 
ever bear the name Iroquois Country, till the name Iroquois is 
constrained off; the State of Vermont, by trade in relation to 
compensation, the aforesaid hunting grounds. The Iroquois 
Indians had not parted with that title, for they kept fighting all 
the other tribes or nations of Indians, and expelled them off, 
as it were from off their farm of produce. 

But in as much as you do not accept of our proposition for 
compensation for our hunting ground, we have now come to 
the conclusion to make you the following proposition viz : We 
propose to submit our claim directly to the Legislature of Ver- 
mont, and rely upon the justice and Humanity of the Govern- 
ment of Vermont, and desire to have no debate upon the sum 
that ought to be paid, but prefer to hear from said Government 
through their commissioner, and we trust that the christian be- 
nevolence, and strict moral rectitude and equity of the Legisla- 
ture will authorize the Commissioner to make us such a propo- 
sition as we in justice to ourselves and our people ought to ac- 
cept, and we hereby agree to rclenquish all claim upon Ver- 
mont, in consideration of such sum or sums of money as the 
Legislature shall appropriate for that purpose ] all of which is 



i^ 



Delegate of 



24 



respectfully submitted by the Deputies. \Vc now wait to hear 

from the Legislature upon the subject. 

[Signed.] 

FRANCIS D. ATOHASHOSHOR, ) Delegates of 

SO SE TAIOVONIOTE, J Caughnawaga. 

JOSEPH KANATAKTAK PHILLIPS, 

Secretary for the part of Caughnawaga Indian Tribe. 

his 
LOUIS k1 TAIORONHISTHE, 
mark 
his 
PETER k1 SAKOIATENTHA, 

mark f St. Reffis. 

his 
PETER X SATEKAIENTON, | 
mark j 

his 

JOSEPH >^. ONONKWA TKOWA, 
mark 

Delegate of Lake of Two Mountains. 

ANTOINE BARON, 

Interpetor for the St. Regis and Lake of Two 

Mountains Iroquois Indians. 
MoNTPELiER, October 19, 1855. 
Gentlemen of the Iroquois. 

I have listened attentively to your last proposition, which is 
to submit your claim, without further debate, to the Legisla- 
ture ; which proposition I very readily accept, trusting that the 
Legislature will be willing to do you ample justice, 

J. M. HOTCHKISS. 




i^ 



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ituUAHD.ViriHONT 






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